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Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)
"Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" is a song on Warren Zevon's 2002 album, My Ride's Here. It was written by Zevon and Mitch Albom. The repeated line of "hit somebody!" is said by long time friend of Zevon and television host David Letterman. It is one of Zevon's longest songs. About the Song The song is a story of violence in ice hockey. The song is about a Canadian farm boy named Buddy, who started playing hockey at age nine and has a deep love for the game. However, he wasn't any good with the puck. What he was good at was fighting people on the other team. This led him to be the team's "goon" on all the youth hockey teams he played on, until he got the attention of a scout from the Calgary Flames. Buddy spends his entire lengthy professional career as hockey's greatest goon (with a penalty box throne), but always longs to score a goal. On his final night as a hockey player, he finally gets his chance to score a goal. He succeeds, but gets hit in the head by a Finnish player in the process. Buddy doesn't care though since he sees the flashing red goal light before he loses consciousness and, it is implied, dies on the ice. Film Adaption Work on a film adaption of the song has been announced by director Kevin Smith. The film is supposedly to be set in the 1970's, before teams left the World Hockey Association in favour the National Hockey League in 1979. The director further elaborated that “It takes place during the last gasp of the goon era of hockey, When it was all about fighting.” Lyrics He was born in Big Beaver by the borderline He started playing hockey by the time he was nine His dad took the hose and froze the back yard And little Buddy dreamed he was Rocket Richard He grew up big and he grew up tough He saw himself scoring for the Wings or Canucks But he wasn't that good with a puck Buddy's real talent was beating people up His heart wasn't in it but the crowd ate it up Through pee-wee's and juniors, midgets and mites He must have racked up more than three hundred fights A scout from the Flames came down from Saskatoon Said, "There's always room on our team for a goon Son, we've always got room for a goon" There were Swedes to the left of him Russians to the right A Czech at the blue line looking for a fight Brains over brawn--that might work for you But what's a Canadian farm boy to do? Hit somebody! What else can a farm boy from Canada to do? Hit somebody! But what's a Canadian farm boy to do? Hit somebody! What else can a farm boy from Canada to do? Hit somebody! was what the crowd roared When Buddy the goon came over the boards "Coach," he'd say, "I wanna score goals" The coach said, "Buddy, remember your role The fast guys get paid, they shoot, they score Protect them, Buddy, that's what you're here for Protection is what you're here for Protection--it's the stars that score Protection--kick somebody's ass Protection--don't put the biscuit in the basket just Hit somebody! it rang in his ears Blood on the ice ran down through the years The king of the goons with a box for a throne A thousand stitches and broken bones He never lost a fight on his icy patrol But deep inside, Buddy only dreamed of a goal He just wanted one damn goal There were Swedes at the the blue line Finns at the red A Russian with a stick heading straight for his head Brains over brawn--that might work for you But what's a Canadian farm boy to do? Hit somebody! What else can a farm boy from Canada to do? Hit somebody! But what's a Canadian farm boy to do? Hit somebody! What else can a farm boy from Canada to do? In his final season, on his final night Buddy and a Finn goon were pegged for a fight Thirty seconds left, the puck took a roll And suddenly Buddy had a shot on goal The goalie committed, Buddy picked his spot Twenty years of waiting went into that shot The fans jumped up, the Finn jumped too And coldcocked Buddy on his follow through The big man crumbled but he felt all right 'Cause the last thing he saw was the flashing red light He saw that heavenly light There were Swedes to the left of him Russians to the right A Czech at the blue line looking for a fight Take care of your teeth--that might work for you But what's a Canadian farm boy to do? What else can a farm boy from Canada to do? Hit somebody! But what's a Canadian farm boy to do? Hit somebody! What else can a farm boy from Canada to do? See Also *''My Ride's Here'' External Links *News of the film adaption from the Rolling Stone *News of the film adaption from MTV *Analysis of the song Category:Featured media Category:Warren Zevon Songs Category:My Ride's Here Tracks